Читать книгу Dadventures: Amazing Outdoor Adventures for Daring Dads and Fearless Kids - Alex Gregory, Alex Gregory - Страница 14

I’ve always been fascinated by insects and indeed would go so far as to say I love them. They’re incredible creatures that thrive all over the world, sometimes in the most hostile environments, and are the most diverse and ecologically important group of land animals. Nobody knows exactly how many different insects there are, although it’s estimated there are as many 30 million different species of these weird and wonderful creatures. One of the most useful things about them is that they’re absolutely everywhere. You can always find an insect, and so wherever you are in the world there’s entertainment to be had. In a city centre, leaning against a wall or waiting by a bus stop with a hedge behind you – have a look, peer into the undergrowth or between the cracks in a crumbling wall, as there’s always something there to spot.

A group of insects we collected, by Jasper. I’m pleased he believes they’re all smiling.

An easy way to discover what you have in your garden, front yard, local park or woodland is to set a small insect trap. It’s quick to make and costs nothing except time.

What you need

 A glass jar or clear beaker

 Some bait

 A small spade

 One large, flat rock

 Three small rocks

What to do

1 Find a spot on the ground in a place where people don’t usually walk. Under a rock in a flower bed is a great place to start, or in a quiet corner of the garden.

2 Dig a hole as deep as the glass jar or beaker.

3 Place your bait in the jar or beaker and then put it in the hole and adjust it so the top of the jar is in line with the surface of the soil or just a fraction below.

4 Compact the soil around the top.

5 Place the three small rocks around the embedded jar on the soil surface and carefully place the large flat rock on top of them to prevent rain getting in. You’re done!

6 The trap is set. Now leave it alone for a few hours or, ideally, overnight.

7 Check the traps the following morning.

This is a great activity to do on a Friday afternoon after school, providing a perfect and exciting pretext for getting up and out on a weekend. If you’re organised, you can get a whole load of traps set in different parts of the garden, park or woodland – wherever you have easy access. It’s interesting to put a range of food in the jar or beaker to see what it attracts. Different bait will draw different insects, but even if you don’t use a food source, you’ll catch something. Also try to notice which insects live in the habitat where you set your traps. Grassland, for example, is likely to contain different species to woodland.

Muddy hands, dirty knees, fresh air and fun together. And don’t forget to return the insects back where you found them.

Challenge

I’d suggest taking a white tray or bowl so that you can study your trapped insects. Once you’ve pulled the jar or beaker from the ground and had a good look through the glass, tip out your finds into the tray or bowl to have a further look from a different angle. The light white enables the usually dark insects to show up really well. From there you’ll be able to talk about them, identify them and maybe, if you’re all in the mood or have the time, draw and photograph them.

Talking points

 How many legs?

 Colour?

 Shape?

 Texture?

 Speed?